Jessel and Lacey made their way over to Ellensburg to start working with Joel Conner. They are both doing well and I checked in with Joel this week to see how the girls are doing. The plan is to give Lacey 90 days of professional training and let Jessel winter over with Joel having him lightly start her and then let her stay there to be handled by professionals to ensure she is getting the best manners possible as a youngster. Here is what he had to say about them:

“JWOW (aka Jessel) is doing really good she’s been wonderful to saddle and ride. She is acting a little bit bothered by the road behind her so we’re getting her over that. Also she is learning how to move away from you when she’s tied up and not kick.

Ol Snooki (aka Lacey) is getting better every day. She is learning how to stay on the wall and walk trot lope. We are also working with her on making sure that she doesn’t kick when she’s tied up. We’re working with her with the rope and the mighty fart noise! “

Ok so a little explanation is needed… Joel always comes up with nicknames for the horses and this time we just had to share! Snooki and JWOW are quite a pair and the names are just as fun as these two young mares! Also the “mighty fart noise” is something interesting that we found out about Lacey when we started to work with her here at SAFE. She absolutely hates and becomes quite agitated tossing her head if you make a kiss sound or a “fart noise”. We began working to get her used to it here but it it something that Joel is also getting her to relax about. It is kinda funny but also puzzling why she reacted this way but was fine with things like a tarp hanging off her back. Silly ponies sometimes just make you scratch your head and smile telling her she is going to be alright and the noise will not hurt her.

I might add that both of these horses were my training projects while they were here at SAFE and I grew to love both of their personalities. Both have a very sweet side but respecting the handler was the first step in being able to see this side of them. I am very excited to see the work Joel is doing with them and thrilled to have such good report cards coming in. I miss seeing them at the barn but know this is an important time in their lives and trust Joel’s skills 100%. It is amazing to be able to work with such a gifted and heartfelt trainer, I know the girls are going to turnout to be wonderful riding horses!

Sophie is just reaching about 40 rides this week in her training with Joel Conner. We were all very excited when Joel surprised us and brought Sophie over to ride in the clinic here at Safe Harbor. She looked AMAZING and while he explained about her “baby stuff” that he was helping her work out, from a spectators… Continue Reading

We are so grateful for the help of our volunteer riders. Casey is one of a very special group of people who make SAFE a great community, working together to train and find adoptive homes for our horses. She has been studying and working up to five times a week out at the arenas with her… Continue Reading

Our wonderful volunteer rider Casey has been dedicated to Stella’s rehab work and a tremendous help to getting this mare onto the road to a full recovery! Here is what Casey has to say about the progress she is making with Stella: After four months of strict stall rest and three months of walk and… Continue Reading

We have been working on strengthening Emmy’s stifles for the past few months. There have been a few small setbacks but we have been slowly working her up to weight of a rider. Her training currently is a combination of lots of walking both on the ground and with a rider and trot poles on the ground.… Continue Reading